Non-volatile memory, such as flash memory, retains its stored data even when power is not present. One common type of non-volatile memory is flash memory, which is used in a wide variety of electronic equipment, including digital cameras, portable audio players, wireless communication devices, personal digital assistants, peripheral devices, and for storing firmware in computers and other devices.
A key challenge for flash memory and other non-volatile memory technologies over the next few years is achieving the densities that are increasingly required by the market. This requires that the cell size be continually reduced, which introduces a variety of challenges in design and manufacturing.
For these and other reasons, there is a need for the present invention as set forth in the following embodiments.